Bears and elephants
by nikeblue35
Summary: Allura needs help remembering how to wash a treasured gift.


The Arusian sun is just rising over the horizon. The soft pink and orange light streams into the sitting room of the royal suite. Her Royal Highness Princess Allura is bent over a pile of clothes looking for something. Finally, she finds what she was looking for. Quickly stuffing them in a small bag she hurries out of her room and into the dimly lit hallways.

She quietly navigates her way to the basements to the laundry rooms. At this time of the morning they are empty, as she hoped.

Staring at the large machines she sighs. It's been a while since she had to use them and laundry is not a skill that Nanny encourages her to develop. Studying the machines, she chooses the one in the far corner.

Taking down the bottles over the shelf she reads the labels trying to remember which one she used the last time.

"I know it wasn't the pink bottle," she mumbles. "But was it the blue or the purple one?"

She reads the label carefully trying to match the instructions to her memory. "The purple one, I think."

Adding the soap to the machine she unwraps her bundle to reveal a tattered blue teddy bear and a small multi colored patchwork quilt.

She hugs the bear and whispers to it as she places it carefully in the machine. A loving hand caresses the quilt as it is placed in the washing machine with the bear.

"Now the hard part." Allura closes the lid and tries to remember how to set the dials and start the wash cycle.

Footsteps outside of the laundry room cause her to freeze in panic and spin around.

"Princess!" Keith is as startled as she is. "What are you doing here?"

"Keith!" She looks around to see if anyone else is with him. "I uh-wanted to see if...well, how the laundry was doing." she stammers. Allura blushed to the roots of her hair.

"Is everything all right?" Keith slings his laundry bag onto the top of 'her' machine.

"NO!" she shouts.

Startled, Keith looks over at her. "What's wrong, Princess?" Alert to trouble he scans the area.

"Nothing. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. But that machine is umm broken!"

Instead of moving away from it, as she hoped, Keith opens the lid and looks in. He smiles and looks deep into her eyes. Allura blushes under his regard.

Keith tips her chin up so she looks at him. His deep coffee eyes are serious and kind. "I wouldn't have laughed at you, Princess," he reassures her.

"These need to be washed on the gentle cycle. Like this." He spins the dial to the correct setting and adjusts the water temperature.

"You want the water cool for something like these. And gentle is best." He punches the start button and the water starts filling the tank.

"Thank you, Keith," she says gratefully. "How did you know that?"

He shrugs. "I've been doing my own wash since I started at the Academy. You learn a few things." Allura notices that the tips of his ears are red. He has turned away and is quickly stuffing the washer with uniforms and t-shirts. "Why didn't you have Nanny wash those things for you?" he asks curiously.

"I wanted to do it myself." she answers. "My mother made the quilt when I was a baby. And the bear was my brother's. He gave it to me when I was little." A single tear traces down her cheek. "I lost most of their things during the wars. Except for some images and my memories, it's all I have left of them," she explains.

Keith nods. "I understand." He sets the timer for his own clothes. "Your wash will be done in an hour. Set them in the dryer over there and put it on fluff."

Allura smiles at him. "Thank you, Keith." She stands on tiptoes and kisses his cheek. Amazed at her own bravery she hurries out before he can respond.

Keith stares after her. "You're welcome, Ally." he whispers.

Reaching back into his laundry bag, he brings out a small stuffed elephant with one patched ear. He gives it a quick hug and puts it into the washing machine with a quiet apology. "Sorry, old friend." He looks around to make sure no one has seen him and presses the start button.

Pulling out a book he settles into to waits until the wash is finished.


End file.
